Curtain fastener for autos



June 15,1925. 1,588,553

C. R. TEAFORD CURTAIN FASTENER -FOR AUTOS Filed March e v192,5

ZJzJzm/ Snow urli' Patented `lune 15, 1926'.

' UNITED STATES CLARENCE n. TEAFORD, or EARMLAND, INDIANA.

CURTAIN FASTENER FOR AUTOS.

Application led March 6, 1925.` Serial No. 13,517.

This invention relates to curtain fasteners and more particularly tofasteners for automobile curtains. The object of theL invention is toprovide a simple and efficient device of this character which may befastened and unfastened from the inside of the car without stretching ortearing the curtains such as frequently occurs by forcing the handsthrough the openings to fasten the curtainfroin the outside. Y

Another object of the invention is to construct a fastener of thischaracter which may be automatically fastened either from the inside oroutside and which when fastened will not work loose, and must bemanually operated to release the curtain.

Vith the foregoing and other lobjects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts andl in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in thev preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within thescope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 represents a front elevation takenfrom inside the curtain showing this improved fastener applied and inopen position to release the button in connection with which it is to beused;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the fastener closed and engaged withthe button;

Fig. 3 is an elevation taken from outside the curtain with the parts inopen position as shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. l is a plan or edge view thereof; and

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view showing the cam shank of the jawactuating member constituting a part of the invention.

The fastener constituting this invention comprises two substantiallyheart-shaped` plates 1 and 10 designed to be arranged on the outer andinner faces respectively of the curtain C with the slots 2 and 11thereof registering with each other, the curtain at this point being cutout to permit the button or headed stud 30 to pass into said slot andsecured by means presently to be-described.

These plates 1 and 10 are shown connected with the curtain C clampedbetween them by means of bendable prongs 3 carried by the edges of plate1 and which are extendedV through the curtain and clampingly engagedwith the plate 10 whereby the plates are se! curely held in operativeposition.

Headed studs 14 and 15 project laterally from` the lobes 12 and 18 oflplate 10 and mounted to slide tranversely on these studs are two latchmembersl and 17 here shown made in the form of substantially triangularplates having slots 18 extending transversely across one end to receivethe studs on which these plates slide. The inner end 19 of saidplates'are mounted on the free ends of plate springs 20 and 21 which arelixedly mounted at the apex of theplate 10 as isshownclearly in Fig. 5.

normally close the latch members in the'position shown in Fig. 2. Thecorners of the plates 16 and 17 to which the springs are secured aretruncated or cutv off as shown clearly in Fig. 1, to adapt them to fitagainst the lshank of the curtain button 3() when closed to securelylock the plates in engagement with said button as is shown clearly inFig. 2.

A rotary cam 22, here shown elliptical in cross section, is mountedbetween the springs 20 and 21 so that when turned to present its longend to said springs they will be forced apart into the position shown inFig. 1 to open the latch members. An operating knob 23 is carried by thecam 22 and projects on the inside of the curtain as shown so that thiscam may be readily turned for opening the button engaging jaws. Anotheroperating knob 211 is preferably located on the outside of the curtainand also fixed to the cam 22 for operating the jaws on the outside ofthe car.

From the above description it will be obvious that When1this fastener isapplied as shown in the drawings the jaws orlatch members 16 and `17 maybe readily opened by turning the knob 23 to position the cam crosswisebetween the springs 20 and 21 thereby forcing said springs apart andopening the jaws. When this knob is turned in the opposite direction torelease the cam from the springs these springs will operate toautomatically close the jaws and engage the shank of button 30 which hasbeen entered in the slots 11, said jaws being located on the outer sideof said button shank to securely hold it engaged with the fastener.

It will thus be seen that fasteners of this These springs have atendency to .move toward each other and consequently Y tains may Vtonson the bows of the vehicle from the incharacter applied to automobile orother curbe readily engaged with the butside and could be detached whendesired. By providing the knobs 24 on the outside they may be alsoremoved from the exterior of the car.

In applying the curtains the fasteners are automatically snapped overthe shanks of buttons 30 which is accomplished by slipping the fastenerson the button shanks the pres- Vsure against latches 16 and 17 causingthem to open against the tension of spring arms 20 and 21 Aand permitsaid button shanks to move inwardly behind the latches as shown in Fig.2. To release the buttons the cam is turned to the position shown inFig. l to open the latches 16 and l?.

l. A curtain fastener comprising a heartshaped plate having an open slotbetween the lobes thereof, latch members mounted to slide transverselyon said lobes toward and away from each other, plate springs secured atone end to said latch members and at their other end to the apex of theplate, said springs being connected to normally move toward each otherand an elliptical cam 1ocated between said springs and equipped with aknob for turning to force the springs apart when turned with the extremelength between the springs whereby the latches are opened to release thecooperating fastening members, the springs operating to close said latchmembers vwhen the cam is turned with its shortest dimension between thesprings.

2. in device of the character described, a plate having a slot extendingfrom one edge thereof, latch members having trans versely disposedelongated openings, studs extending through the openings and havingconnection with the plate adjacent to the slot, springs engaging thellatch members to normally urge the latch members towards each other,and a cam disposed between the springs for moving the latch members awayfrom each other, and said latch members adapted tc hold a stud wit-hinthe slot.

.in testimony that li claim the foregoing as Vmy own, l have heretoaflixed my signature.

cti/taarten R. TEAroRD.

